Health insurance: Will Microsoft move affect King Co.?

Microsoft announced last week that beginning in 2013 its employees will have to contribute toward health insurance. Currently they pay nothing for themselves, a spouse and children.

The move by the corporate giant will put pressure on King County’s unionized workers to pay more for their health benefits. While not as good as Microsoft’s, King County’s plan is generous.

Under the latest labor agreement, the county is picking up the entire tab for premiums for employees through 2012. That fact was an issue last year’s county executive’s race, with several candidates saying county employees should contribute a portion of their monthly premiums like most other local government workers. King County says when things like co-pays are factored in, employees contribute about 18 percent of their health care costs, which places the county in the middle range when compared to other local governments. And county employees pay $50 a month to cover spouses or partners who have insurance available through their own employer.

Earlier this year a report said health care costs per county employee “have grown substantially.” Since 2004 the per employee health care costs have gone up 58 percent, for an average of 9.6 percent a year. Costs for similar plans in the Seattle area grew by just 41 percent, or an average of 7.1 percent annually, the report said.